Institutionalised
by El loopy
Summary: Buffy Summers has woken up in the Institution many times, she just can't remember them. Sometimes she takes parts of it back with her into her fantasy world...like a certain blond who seems to think he is a vampire...that is, if it is a fantasy... Based on 6x17 'Normal Again' but spanning multiple episodes. Spike x Buffy.
1. Chapter 1: Prophecy Girl

**A/N: This is all based on episode 6x17 'Normal Again'. The idea appealed to me and as a result I wrote this. The chapters span the Buffy seasons from 1 through to 7, and I hadn't finished watching the series while I was writing this.**

 **I play with some different ideas of what could have been really happening in 'Normal Again'. I don't really come to a particular conclusion, but I hope it is enjoyable anyway.**

* * *

Institutionalised

Prologue

The doctors at the mental institution had noticed something about the patient known as Buffy Summers. This particular patient had built her own fantasy world to live in where she was the hero with super powers, surrounded by her friends who each, in their own way, also had super powers. She had even created for herself a sister – the magical key – that she could look after and protect. All of these characters were imaginings of her mind, her own creation. All but one.

There was another patient at the institution who was called William. William the Impaler he called himself. He believed he was a vampire. He developed a rapid, almost unhealthy, fascination with the girl who called herself the Slayer. The doctors tried to keep the two apart for fear of the trigger they may be. Despite their best efforts however Buffy and William met very early on in her incarceration. She had already begun building a life for herself in Sunnydale and was in the process of defeating the one she called The Master. During her encounter with the Master however Buffy died…

* * *

Chapter 1: Prophecy Girl (1x12)

Buffy woke up.

She was lying on a bed.

It was white. That was her overriding thought. White.

Last thing she remembered was a cave.

It was dark.

She'd been bitten. Her hand lifted tentatively to her neck. Nothing.

No pain. No marks.

Where was she? A hospital? Who had taken her to hospital? She was supposed to be dead.

The thought hit her like a train and her eyes widened.

She might be dead. She didn't _feel_ dead. She didn't feel right though. She felt…icky…like her mind was filled with soap bubbles.

Slowly she sat up and looked around the room. It was plain. Blank.

White.

"Buffy?" She looked. A nurse. Face kind but voice surprised.

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice small and dry, as though she hadn't spoken for a while.

"Oh my God!" the nurse gasped and disappeared into the corridor. "Doctor!"

Buffy heard the yell and frowned, puzzled. She didn't feel like she needed a doctor. She felt fragile, weak, but that was normal when you'd had your blood drained, right?"

Carefully she moved herself off the bed. Her fingers brushed the restraints and she felt a searing jolt of panic. Sick.

Quickly she looked away and got to her feet. They were bare. How silly. She'd get cold. Who took her shoes?

The doorway was there. She'd ask.

With slow uncertain movements she got there and peered into the corridor. There were people. Dazed and confused mostly. There was a man watching her though. His hair was bleached blond. His eyes fascinated her. He stared at her with undisguised intent and she stared back. He wore the same thing she did.

White.

The corner of his mouth curved into a smirk.

"Morning Slayer."

British then.

"I heard you were awake."

She didn't respond. Didn't know what to make of him. Fascination and fear in mixed parts. He called her Slayer. No one knew she was the Slayer.

"Thought it about time we made acquaintance." He glided towards her, eyes alight. "Name's William," he offered a smile. "William the Impaler."

Her eyes widened. Doctors were striding around the corner; she could see them on the edge of her vision. "Buffy!" they called but her whole attention was on the blond with the British accent. "William, stop!" They were too far away and he knew they couldn't get to him in time. He cast them a look of cunning and scorn and they broke into a run. It was too late.

"I'm a vampire."

 _Flash. She was back in the cave. It was dark. She couldn't breathe…no wait…she could._

Flash. There were doctors and nurses all around her, harrying, calling her name. "Buffy." She was being guided back into her room. "Buffy. Stay with us."

 _Flash._ _Dark, cold, wet, a breath of air. Coughing._

Flash. A snatch echoed towards her, "Why was she left unattended?"

"She was never expected to wake up."

A commotion. Confusion. William forcing his way to her. They tried to stop him. Too late. His voice reached her.

"Take me back with you." His hand closed around her arm and…

 _Flash. She was hacking up water onto a cold rock floor and she still had a world to save._

* * *

 _A few weeks later Spike crashed into the 'Sunnydale' sign._


	2. Chapter 2: Gifts and Bargains

**A/N Quite a long one this time - and quite a big jump on Buffy's timeline. I tried to slot another one in between but it just wouldn't work. So here it is. Enjoy.**

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Institutionalised

Chapter 2: Gifts and Bargains (5x22 and 6x1)

When Buffy jumped into that vortex that was supposed to be the end of it. She said goodbye to her sister and, as a great sense of peace spread through her, she jumped into the mouth of the opening hell dimension, sealing it shut in exchange for her life.

The next thing Buffy was aware of was a bright white room. She was in a hospital type bed and were those doctors?

"Is this heaven?" she said with a voice that didn't sound like it was used often. She didn't care if it was a stupid question; she was dead.

"Buffy?" The nearest doctor stopped and was staring at her in what she assumed was surprise but she wasn't sure why. "Are you here with us?"

What an odd question. She moved her arms and legs, glancing to make sure they worked and then back to the doctor again.

"Looks like."

He ignored her flippant tone and got the attention of a nurse. He tried to whisper but Buffy heard it.

"…tell Mrs Summers. Come at once."

The nurse hurried off and Buffy sat in stunned silence a moment.

"Mom's here?" she said finally, her voice as small as a child's. "I can see Mommy?"

The doctor looked at her steadily before replying, "Yes, as long as you stay."

Buffy widened her eyes at him in confusion.

"I've got nowhere else to go."

* * *

An insane asylum. That's where she was. Apparently it had all been a dream. Sunnydale, her friends, her sister…Angel. A figment of her imagination. So they kept telling her anyway. She wasn't so sure. She sat curled up in a chair in the doctor's office, her hand clinging desperately to her mother's. Joyce said that Dad was here too, that he was on a business trip at the moment, but would be with them soon. Buffy struggled with that one. Dad was not dead in Sunnydale. Was 'business trip' meaning that he hadn't joined them in heaven yet? Her Mom and Doctor said no. Her Mom and Doctor said she was not dead, that this was reality and she had only died in her pretend world. It was hard for her to understand. Why would she do that? Why did she bring herself back here?

"Hadn't it been disintegrating?" her doctor asked, "the fantasy? Wasn't it becoming harder? Falling apart? Not quite working?"

She had no answer to that. He told her mother that they needed to keep her in longer.

"Buffy is obviously back with us but she is still confused about reality and her fantasy. We need to keep her here until she is fully able to cope."

Buffy grabbed her mom's hand tighter and Joyce looked at her lovingly.

"Don't leave me," she whispered.

She stroked the top of her daughter's head and smiled.

"It's okay Honey," she soothed, "I will come and see you every day. I promise."

Her mom kissed her forehead as she left and Buffy watched her go from the window. The sun was shining outside onto the garden and as Joyce paused at the gate to wave at her daughter Buffy felt her eyes overflow with tears.

"Buffy?" the doctor asked with professional concern and the once-Slayer turned to look at him through the blurry edges.

"She died." Her voice was cold, but wavered. She saw the flash of shock before he hid it under an expressionless exterior. "If you're right, why would I do that?" She was losing control. "Why would I let her die?"

"Buffy…" he began with a note of warning and began to get to his feet but she had already bolted out of his office door.

Buffy crashed into the corridor but collided with a body and almost sent them both spinning to the ground.

"Whoa, easy Slayer," a familiar British voice said as hands steadied her arms. She looked straight into sharp blue eyes and gasped.

"Spike?"

He looked at her with an expression she knew well; a twitch of an eyebrow, slight tilt of the head and the edge of a smile curling his lips, intrigued.

"Is that what you've been calling me?" he purred, low and seductive. His hands were warm on her arms and she jerked herself back, away from him. He should not be warm.

Buffy's eyes flickered over Spike's shoulder to the doctor who was now standing completely still in the doorway.

"Spike," he narrowed his eyes at her with a smile, "yeah. I quite like that. 'S got a ring to it…"

"William."

The blond shot the doctor a glare over his shoulder.

"S'up Doc?"

Doctor Smith came and stood between the two of them, voice forcibly calm.

"Buffy, this is William, a patient like yourself. William, this is Buffy." There was a clear note of warning in his tone wand expression as he spoke to him but she couldn't understand why.

"We've met," William grinned.

"We have?" she whispered uncertainly.

"Come on Buffy, we still have a lot to discuss," Smith tried to hurry her away and she automatically resisted. She wanted to know what it was about Spike…William…that made them so afraid of her being near him.

"When you've been here before. I'd heard a lot about you Slayer. I was intrigued."

"Her name is Buffy," the doctor corrected firmly and she blinked in bewilderment.

"Oh, and of course, we've met in Sunnydale…"

"William!" the doctor all but snarled.

The blond gave his best guileless expression.

"You heard her Doc. I was there."

Buffy wasn't listening to either of them.

"I've been here before?"

"Yes," Doctor Smith was completely between them now, trying to force her away without touching her. "I will fill you in…" She wasn't buying the distraction.

She ducked under Smith's arm and came face-to-face with Spike.

"Why are you here?"

It was the right question and he grinned wickedly at her, making her stomach do a small flip.

"I'm a vampire."

It was like the earth stilled. Her heart roared and then slowed back to normal pace. She had already known he'd say that. It was obvious. He was Spike. Now the fact that Spike couldn't be warm or dead (wait…yes…dead…wasn't he?) confused her but she put it momentarily to one side.

" _They_ don't believe me of course."

Buffy followed the jerk of his head. Everyone around them had frozen, like a simultaneous intake of breath was being held. Someone had clearly been rushing to separate them but Doctor Smith had held up his hand in a halt motion. He was watching her curiously and it made her uncomfortable.

"What are they waiting for?" she whispered.

Spike's expression became serious.

"To see if you disappear."

"Disappear?" she turned bewildered eyes back to him.

"Into yourself," he added. "Last time they tried to separate us you just got pulled back faster. They're waiting to see if you stay."

"But, I've got nowhere to go." She felt panic flutter inside her. If she went back would the vortex reopen? Would Dawn still need to die? She wouldn't see her Mom again. Seeing her panic William placed a hand on her arm soothingly and she grabbed it tightly. "I can't go back there."

"Then don't," he replied but there was an edge to his voice she couldn't quite place. "You heard her Doc," William said loudly for the benefit of their silent witnesses. "She's staying."

* * *

The weeks passed and as they did so Sunnydale began to fade like a distant memory. Her memories of the previous times she'd been here were slowly returning. She believed now what her Mom and her doctors told her, that she was not dead, but this was life. This was reality. They were confident she was adjusting well and soon she would be allowed to go home. What she couldn't work out was William's role in all of this. Why had she dragged someone from reality that she had only met for a few seconds into her fantasy? He had played the villain and then the tentative ally, twice over in fact. He intrigued her. There was something between them she couldn't quite put her finger on, something that would have made her suspicious and wary in Sunnydale but seemed safe here. She told Spike everything and the doctors decided that it was therapeutic and yet they watched them warily; acknowledging that a bond between them might serve to help keep her here, but wary of the intention of the man who claimed to be a vampire.

It was almost three months since Buffy had returned when it happened. She was lounging on a sofa in a patch of sun, feeling warm and content and peaceful. It was so calm and quiet. Her eyes were half-shut but she sensed William approach her, opening her eyes, she smiled up at him and he settled himself on the sofa next to her. With slow, but still uncertain, movements she rested her hand over his and he twisted them until their fingers interwove.

"You look happy, Pet."

She smiled dreamily at him. "I am."

"Like a cat basking in the sun."

 _There was a loud bang. She was being called back, urged on._

"Buffy, what's wrong?"

She had bolted upright on the seat, full of fear.

 _The air was rushing past her. She could hear Willow calling…_

Buffy clasped her hands over her ears but the chanting was in her head.

"No," she cried, "I don't want to go back. Not now. Why now?"

 _Flash. Cold. Dark. Difficult to breath._

"William," she was gripping him tightly. He had moved in front of her, blocking her from the sight of any medical personnel. His hand framed her face whilst she had his shoulders in an iron grip.

"You still with me Slayer?"

She nodded, gulped, realised she was crying.

"My friends are calling me back. They want me to go back to them." She realised dimly that she wasn't talking in a way that matched her alleged belief that it was all a construct of her mind.

William's eyes were locked on hers.

"Do you want to go to them?"

He wasn't talking like they were constructs either.

She shook her head, sobbed, but froze. "What if it's Dawn?"

 _Chanting. Earth. Dark. Cold._

She shivered in the sun. "I want to be here. I was done there. My work was done."

There was a beat of silence before he whispered, "Maybe it wasn't."

 _Come back to us Buffy._

She sighed. "They need me."

"Then you need to go."

He was right, she knew he was right. She hated him a little bit for being right. The pull was becoming more insistent. It didn't feel like much of a choice anyway.

"William, what's going on?"

There were doctors in the background. She needed to go now.

"I don't want to," she told him, "and I don't understand why."

"Give 'em hell."

He pressed a kiss to her lips, soft, delicate and then she was gone.

* * *

 _She woke up and couldn't breathe, couldn't see. She screamed and struggled in the darkness. Every second she felt a searing pain of loss. This world was cold and dark and violent. She couldn't remember details but she knew she had been safe and warm and happy. She had been done._

 _The world was insubstantial, blurry at the edges and she was supposed to fight, had the ability to, but couldn't remember why._

 _Then she saw Spike and the world snapped into focus a little. He took her hand to look at her cuts and she felt the roar of panic quieten with a familiarity. For some reason he was a comfort, took the edge off the pain of loss, and yet she couldn't fully trust him. She wanted to be close to him and yet the feeling itself made her want to run away. He was both the most real and least real thing in this world but she wasn't sure why. She couldn't trust him because he might do it again…she just wasn't sure what_ it _was. She was confused and lonely and sad but one thing was clear. She did not want to be here. She was supposed to be somewhere else._

* * *

William sat to one side, guarded by nurses, whilst Doctor Smith examined Buffy's unresponsive form. He stepped back with a scowl on his face and turned accusing eyes onto the culprit. William returned the glare coolly, un-phased.

"I don't understand William. You have told me that you love this girl. If that is true, I can't understand why you would do this."

William stared him down before replying coldly, "There are many things that you cannot understand… _Doc_."

There was a stalemate of glaring until the doctor turned away.

"William is to be kept as far away from Buffy as possible. The next time she wakes up I don't want her to see or hear him at all. Is that understood?"

"Yes Doctor," the nurses chorused as they helped Buffy to her room, keeping William well away. They didn't hear him mutter, "It's not over yet."


	3. Chapter 3: Normal again

Institutionalised

Chapter 3: Normal again? (6x17)

She was back. He could feel her. It was like her presence lit up the corridors. He went looking for her but they stopped him, just like they had promised they would. The fools didn't understand.

Each time she came here it was different but every time he knew. Sometimes she thought she was dreaming. One time she knew she was dead. That was the last time he'd seen her. Every time she was called back. It drove him crazy, which was funny because they all thought he was. Fools knew nothing. Understood nothing.

So she was back again. She had been dragged kicking and screaming. She _was_ screaming. She was scared. He clapped his hands over his ears to block it out but the ringing was in his head…and then she was gone again, like a light turned off. He blinked in confusion, sat in his room with the door locked tight so he couldn't go to her, wondering why she hadn't stayed.

The next day she was back again, just a flash, like before. He hadn't been far from her either. If only she had stayed longer…He had felt her presence in the corridor and run to her but it had snuffed out as he had approached from behind. He'd gripped her shoulders and spun her to receive a blank expression.

Her visits became erratic and of differing lengths. He had hope that they wouldn't be able to keep him in his room forever, not when they couldn't tell when she would pop back. He heard from the nurses that they were trying to convince her to stay. Her mother and father were here to help. It wasn't going to work. Buffy herself appeared to be in agreement about staying but it still wasn't going to work. Her friends weren't done with her yet and until they were she wasn't going to be staying here. The doctors understood nothing. They were encouraged by her previous three month stay and thought they could get her to stay again. Idiots.

* * *

He was locked in his room when it started. The screams and cries were in his bones and in his head. He yelled along with her, feeling her agony tear through him until he could take it no longer and slammed himself against the door. Again. Again. It was wrenched open by a pair of male nurses, a bright flash of a needle in their hands but he was past them before they knew what hit them. He barrelled into one, sending him flying into the other. The needle fell to the floor and clinked, rolled. He took great pleasure in stamping it underfoot as he ran past.

"William!"

He ignored the yell. The sobbing in his head was too sharp, too bright, to care. He had to get to her, to hell with the rest of them.

A scream cut through him and he fell against a wall with a yell of his own, hands clutching his head. It reverberated around him, bouncing back and forth, each echo quieter than the last, until he was able to stand again. It felt like they were killing her.

There were no more screams as he staggered towards her room, just a flicker of her light, and he knew he wouldn't make it in time. Like a switch it went out and any remaining pain in his body vanished with it. Cool relief washed through his nerves even as his heart gave a moan of anguish.

Quietly he propped himself up in her doorway, watching as the Doctor muttered, "I'm sorry," to her aggrieved parents.

"Do you understand yet?" he taunted and all three jumped, spinning to look at him.

"William." Doctor Smith got to his feet and advanced but the patient hadn't the strength to move away. Instead they stared each other down. William tilted his head to one side with a grin.

"Well? Do you get it yet Doc? Can't tame the Slayer. Won't come when she's called. Gotta wait till she's ready." He removed his gaze from the burning eyes of his opponent and settled them on the still body in the corner.

"She'll come back when she's ready."


	4. Chapter 4: Seeing Red

Institutionalised

Chapter 4: Seeing Red (6x19)

The gunshot was a surprise. It hitting her even more so. She was the Slayer. Something as small and mundane as a bullet wasn't supposed to take her out. The last time she'd died it had been to save the world, jumping into the swirling vortex of an opening hell dimension. This was nothing, a non-entity, irrelevant, unimportant. A silly little man, who wanted to punish her for 'foiling his evil scheme'. A toddler throwing its toys out the pram. Yet the pain was real enough and yes that was her blood and Xander panicking above her. Then it went dark for a bit.

* * *

Buffy opened her eyes in the hospital room. For one split second she thought someone had got her there fast without her knowledge…but then she recognised it and panic gripped her heart icily.

"No, no, no. I have to get back."

"Funny, that's not what you said the last time I saw you."

William was standing in her doorway. Instantly she was on her feet, holding out a hand to push him away.

"Keep away from me."

"S'wrong Slayer?"

She remembered his hands grabbing her, hurting her. He took a step forward.

"Back off," she snarled.

He stopped, puzzled and then frowned.

"What did I do?" he sounded angry at himself. "What did _he_ do?"

She shook her head. Tried to articulate it and failed. Instead she settled for, "You are _not_ my boyfriend."

"Never said I was love," he muttered and gave that damn sexy irresistible look that he still managed to pull off without the black leather.

"Go away." She was almost in tears. There and here were mashed together in her head until it felt like it would tear apart. She had to get back…wasn't she dying? Why couldn't she get back?

"Look, Buffy, I must have hurt you bad, but we can fix it. I can change. You change me."

She didn't want to hear it. She had wrapped her arms tight around herself and was backing away, seeing him through a veil of tears.

"You can't change," she struggled, paused. "He can't change." She took a steadying breath. "I won't see him anymore."

Panic flashed across William's face.

"Buffy…"

"It's too late," she whispered in a dead voice, "he's already gone."

' _Buffy! Buffy! Stay with me." Xander's face fluttered in and out of focus._

"Buffy?" She was wrenched back into the hospital. William had taken a few steps closer.

"Stay back," she ordered. He stopped and her eyes widened. "It's you," she whispered suddenly as a revelation dawned.

"What is?" he asked coolly.

"You're the one keeping me here."

There was a heavy silence.

"And how could I do that, Pet?" his tone was dangerously low.

She swallowed hard but she'd said it once to his counterpart, she could say it again to him.

"I have feelings for you. I don't know how, or why, but I do. Both of you. Whichever one of you is real, and you've both felt real enough." In different ways of course. She hadn't shared that intimacy with William that she had with Spike. She wondered if it would feel as good… _bad thoughts._

He was just watching her. She couldn't read his expression.

 _Pain exploded in her chest. "Oh God, we're losing her. Buffy!"_

She was back, waiting for his response.

"So you're just gonna get rid of both of us. Push us both away."

She looked at him sympathetically.

"I'm sorry…William…"

She didn't like the look in his eye. It was almost too familiar. He took a step forward.

"I won't let you do this Buffy."

"Are you going to try and rape me too?" It was out of her mouth before she could stop it and he froze like she'd slapped him. The hurt and disgust on his face was completely genuine. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

"How could you think…?" he started and then stopped, realising. He turned his back on her and walked away. "Do what you gotta do, Slayer," he said coldly as he left the room. She didn't hear him add, "And I'm gonna do what I've gotta do."

She almost went after him…almost…would have if he wasn't the trick, the thing to keep her here. She could hear her friends calling her back and without William in the room she was able to go to them.


	5. Chapter 5: Bring on the Night

Chapter 5: Bring on the night (7x10)

She was in the hospital again.

It was a dream; she knew it was a dream…at least she thought she knew. No…wait…a building falling on her. Bricks anyway, lots of bricks, and a vampire that wasn't a vampire. She had been in a lot of pain. There was no pain here. She was pretty sure she wasn't dead though…maybe close. She assumed that the poison from that demon hadn't completely left her system or this was a bizarre side effect. She didn't slip over whilst waking anymore, only when dancing on the edge of life and death.

She was walking down the corridors and they were dark. No one was around. Where were all the doctors and nurses? Her hospital gown brushed against her knees in a whisper of sound – the only sound. The floor was cold under bare feet.

"Where is everyone?" she called and it echoed.

There was a crash of a door, a sudden rectangle of light, hurrying footsteps. Sound burst forth and cut off abruptly when the door clicked shut. She approached and clasped the handle, cool and metallic. The door swung open under her touch and she stepped into the light and noise. Doctors and Nurses were crowded around a body on the bed, hollering to each other. She couldn't make out the form so stepped closer, before a shadow fell over her.

"So you are awake, are you?" Doctor Smith sounded unimpressed and Buffy stared up at him with an equally unimpressed expression.

"No," she replied simply and his face flashed with curiosity, "I'm unconscious." She tried to peer past him. "What is going on?"

Now he looked suddenly angry, "Don't you know?"

He stepped aside and Buffy saw William's face on the bed, eyes wide open and blank, pale.

She gasped, hand flying to her mouth, but stilled as she saw the barely perceptible rise and fall of his chest.

"Not dead?" she murmured.

"No."

She was relieved and confused, by the intensity of her reaction and by the situation.

"He said he was going to join you," the doctor inter-toned. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"

She stared, reaching her fingers out to touch the still face, brush the unmoving arm.

"Spike came back to Sunnydale," she whispered, "he brought his soul with him."

"Buffy, you know that's nonsense. William cannot share your fantasy world. Did you show him how to do this?"

Without warning Spike gave a yell and started to thrash. Buffy stepped forward automatically but was held back as nurses went to restrain him. His eyes were still open but he wasn't there. Buffy's face twisted with anger and horror.

"They're hurting him."

It was a blunt phrase and she felt it didn't do justice to how much torture Spike was probably enduring. So much that his body _here_ (wherever _here_ was) reacted as well.

Doctor Smith was bristling; he had misunderstood the accusation.

"I can assure you Miss Summers that our nurses are not…"

"Shush!" Short, sharp and Slayer like. The doctor was taken aback. She had never…but Buffy had ceased to notice him. For an instant Spike had stopped struggling and his eyes flew open. Of course they had never been shut but it was the best description she could give of how the life came back into them. Like a light bulb clicking on.

He gazed around for a moment before a bitter sneer twisted his lips.

"Oh, hallucinating again am I? You're all figments. Bloody figments you hear!" Buffy stepped forward and he fixed a searing glare on her. "And you. You are the figmenty-est figment of them all, you are. Of course _you'd_ be here."

"Spike," she murmured and, with little resistance from the staff, reached out to touch his arm. In the second her skin met his, his expression cleared.

"Buffy?" She nodded and he lay back with a half laugh, half gasp, and shut his eyes. "She said you wouldn't come."

Buffy felt her insides constrict.

"I'm not there yet."

Spike opened his eyes again with a frown and looked around, this time seeming to recognise where he was. There was a flash of annoyance, followed by panic and resignation.

"I have to go back there, don't I?" She didn't answer, didn't need to. "She needs to be more careful how she plays with her toys," Spike muttered, "if I'm ending up here."

Again she didn't answer, mostly because she didn't know what he meant. Instead she reached out and intertwined their fingers and he stared at them in wonder.

"I'm coming for you," she told him. "Don't let It tell you otherwise." She squeezed his hand. "I believe in you William."

In the basement of her home he had been almost angry at her for her words but now he gripped her hand tighter.

"I remember."

Then he was gone and she was back to staring into blank eyes, unsure if he had gone back himself or been dragged.

For her part she was beginning to hear voices far away, calling her name.

Doctor Smith stepped forward again. She had forgotten he was there, forgotten any of them were there. Why hadn't they interrupted her?

"Miss Summers, if you would kindly step away from the patient and explain what just happened…"

She wasn't really listening anymore. The voices were getting louder.

"You had better stop the shouting."

"What shouting?" the doctor frowned.

The noise continued and she felt herself drifting away, back.

"Miss Summers!" The doctor was getting cross. "Stay here and explain yourself. What did you do to him?"

"Nothing," she murmured, settling herself on the bed next to William. "He's…well…not exactly fine," she hesitated, "but he _will_ be."

"Buffy…"

She cut him off with a solemn stare. "Got to go."

* * *

Her friends were calling her but she was in pain, so much pain, and she had been defeated. She. The Slayer. What hope did they have? Her friends scooped her out the wreckage and carried her broken body home. Her mind was alert, elsewhere, trying to ignore the pain. She had had a dream, she remembered, but her mind felt fuzzy on the issue, fragments of it drifting off in wisps. Her fingers passed straight through them. She waited, trying to remember the entirety but could only recall Spike. Inside her was a terrible urgency to save the vampire and she somehow knew she was running out of time…

* * *

The still figure of Buffy Summers lay next to the equally still figure of William Pratt. Doctor Smith frowned at them in annoyance, in particular their interlaced fingers that refused to be parted.


	6. Chapter 6: Chosen

**A/N: 'Chosen' didn't really end the way I was expecting and so I had to make it happen. As such this wasn't quite as tidy an ending as I would have liked but I hope it still works. Enjoy the final chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Chosen (7x22)

She was the original Slayer – the first. Not the very first of course, she didn't think she could pull off that hair style, but the first of the many Slayers. The Slayer who broke the rule. That came with a target, marked squarely on her head. With all these Slayers, they had said, you can be normal, and she had thought so too.

It wasn't for her. It wasn't fair that she fought the longest and the hardest and didn't get to take part in the perks. All these brand-new Slayers had never known what it was like to be alone. They were all shiny and bright with their super powers and sisterhood. They would go on to have relationships, have families, have jobs and lives if they wanted, because the weight of the world would never fully rest on them. They would probably stay shiny and bright. They would always be able to share the burden.

Faith was a surprising comfort, not that she went out of her way to be, but she had shared that loneliness. She knew the strangeness that Buffy felt now at the shared burden…and then she too started to become normal.

It took time for Buffy to get used to the mere thought, longer to become acclimatised, and when she finally did she felt her cookie dough turn to cookies. She was excited. She was ready to start her new, shiny life…just as it ended. It wasn't fair.

She was the Original and consequently there were still a lot of grudges held by demons against her, as well as those who thought that killing her might undo the multiple Slayer issue they faced. If she hadn't felt so normal she might have been more aware when they burst through her door and ran a blade through her heart.

There was almost no fight. The demons left feeling cheated but their disappointment was short-lived. Every Slayer felt it when the Original died and the demons didn't get far before they were cut down. She was found her in a pool of her blood. She looked surprised but almost relieved. This time no one resurrected her. There was no need. She could be at peace.

* * *

Buffy opened her eyes slowly. She had been lying there for a moment, enjoying the feel of crisp sheets, sun warm on her arm and a light breeze whispering over her skin.

"It's about bloody time."

She tilted her head so her eyes met William's, sat by her bed, and she felt her insides flutter. She smiled.

"Sorry it took me so long."

"Had to get things in order?" he murmured a little sarcastically.

"Had to be ready," she replied, still smiling. He gave her a quizzical look and she reached over, interlocking their fingers in a familiar gesture. He started in surprise. "Had to make sure I was all out of cookie dough."

He looked at her a long time in something like wonder, a small, daring-to-hope smile at the edges of his lips.

"I haven't got the faintest bloody clue what you're on about love."

She squeezed his hand gently.

"Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not," he replied tenderly.

They sat in silence a moment just looking at each other, communicating without words.

"It is over then?" he asked, his thumb drifting lightly over her skin, warm and comforting, and she gave his hand a light squeeze.

"Yes, it's over," she barely whispered back.

Then the smile came on his face, beaming, with a hint of teeth, lighting up his eyes.

"So you've chosen?"

"Yes. I've chosen."

"Then what are we waiting for?" he growled lightly and she raised her eyebrows at him in question. "Let's bust the hell out of this dump."

Her smile changed to mirror his.

"Good plan."


End file.
